Saturday, July 12, 2014

Queen In Hyun's Man Review

at 9:58 PM 0 comments
Combining both a drama challenge along with drama review, since I realized I wrote so much for this drama, might as well make a Drama review out of it...

Day 8: Your favorite Korean Drama?

 This was an easy one. Because I just recently rewatched this drama, and by far it is one of the cutest ROM-COM I've ever watched.
Queen In-Hyun's Man


Plot: 5/5
The drama is about a top scholar, Gim Boong Do (Ji Hyun Woo) , from Joseon Era who was given a magical talisman that allowed him to escaped the brink of death by traveling 300 years into the future.The background story revolved around a historical figure Queen In-Hyun who was framed in the past and exiled/isolated for a period of time, but got reinstated later on. Gim Boong Do, our leading man in this case is the Queen's trusted man whose goal is to helped Queen In-hyun restore her position and put the Western Minister (our antagonist) in jail. However, restoring the queen's position wasn't an easy task because the Minister was constantly out to kill our Gim Boong Do. This is why he was placed in life-and-death situation many times, which explained many occasions of him traveling to the future.

In the future, he met a naive and straight forward new comer actress. Choi Hee Jin (Yoo In Na),  who got the role of Queen In-hyun in a new adaptation drama. His fate with Queen In-Hyun's didnt end with just the Joseon Era but also entertwine with the present Queen in-Hyun. He began to helped Hee Jin as she was bullied by fellow cast members while she helped him adapt to the future. The cause and effect chain falls upon the two when they fell in love but distanced each other by 300 years. Both had to battle time and the mysterious evilness constantly lurking over Gim Boong Do's life in Joseon Era. 

The plot is very interesting. Not something completely new (somewhat resembled Rooftop Prince), but the execution of the plot is very unique. There was never a boring moment in the drama, and their illustration of the domino effect of someone from 300 years ago falling for someone in the present is more acceptable than Rooftop Prince. At one point, the talisman was torn and their explanation of how both of them forgot everything and created a "gap" in time.
Moreover, most of the couple stuff in this drama is way too cheesy, yet acceptable because both leading casts made it so natural. (They dated in real life for a while, but recently broke up). The kissing scenes were good. I hate watching dramas with awkward kissing scenes, like PLEASE! HAVE SOME LIPS MOVEMENT! you can't kiss like that in real life right? 

Overall, the plot is great! I love love it! I dont normally gives drama full marks, but this is one of the exception. Except the ending doesn't make a lot of sense, but it's a good ending and I'm okay with that.



Characterization: 4/5
One of my pet peeves while watching kdrama is seeing a stupid female lead making a fool out of herself. the female lead Choi Hee Jin, is naive, but not stupid. I like her personality a lot. She did whatever she could to help the person she liked, recklessly without thinking of the consequence.
Gim Boong Do is a great leading man as he was knowledgable, smart and such a gentleman. He was able to remember most things in the future and quickly adapt to the future, but he new how Hee Jin tricked him about the kiss and everything but he played it off cool and just laughed it off. Which is CUTEE! :D
Most of the other characters are quite loveable. The assistant manager and her back ground check Gim Boong Do was quite cute. How she repeatedly asked him the same questions three times was really cute.

One bright side of this drama was that, there was absolutely no misunderstanding or any sort. I hate those moments of misunderstanding and wrong timing in drama, but those didn't happen in the drama. Also, there was no antagonist in the drama. Maybe Han Dong Min, but he wasn't even considered a love rival since Hee Jin never truly loved him. 























Sound track: 4/5
Somewhat a typical sad ballad in the drama. but no matter what, it is still a good song.  My favorite song is called "Another time, same Sky" by Joo Hee of 8eight. This song completely explains the relationship between Boong Do and Hee Jin. It explains the yearning and desire of the two to be together. Their love was not meant to be, it was sad and it hurted both in many ways, but they both didn't give up and continued to wait or the other person to come back. This song made be cried whenever it plays in the drama. SHO SAD.

Here's a translation: Credit. Popsaga
As I wait for you with nothing to do
My welled up tears are dyed with the sunset
You, who is waiting for me at the other side of time
Are rushing my heart again
Under the same sky, in a different time
Our sad love has tangled
I place my earnest heart in the moonlight
So I can shine brightly wherever you are
A person like you, I’m so thankful to you
My love can’t be entirely expressed with just words
Though the rough times bruises and hurts me
You protected me in your embrace

Under the same sky, in a different time
Our sad love has tangled
I place my earnest heart in the moonlight
So I can touch you wherever you are
My love
Under the same sky, in a different time
This sad love can never be
I will become the moonlight in the dusk sky and shine on you
So you can find your way back to me

Overall a great drama! TOTALLY RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO'S LOOKING FOR A DRAMA TO WATCH. YOO IN NA is a great actress. Watch it before going to Kcon since she will be there! hahaha

Boss & Me Cute Moments Ep 1-5

at 9:27 PM 1 comments

English Title: Boss & Me
Chinese Title: 杉杉来吃
Cast: Zhao Li Ying, Zhang Han
# of Episodes: 33, 3 episodes a day
Airing Days: July 2nd
Broadcasting Station: Jiangsu Satellite TV
Boss and Me or 杉杉来吃 aka (Come and Eat Shan Shan) is the newest romantic comedy drama airing in China, also an adaptation from the famous novel by Gu Man.

The drama is about an innocent, naive and glutton girl, Xue Shan Shan, who loves to eat. She works at the big conglomerate, Feng Teng, and have a rare blood type AB RH negative and beccomes the blood donor for her big boss's sister. To repay for her kindness, the boss's sister prepares daily lunches for both Feng Teng and Shan Shan and have it delivered it to her work everyday. People from the company misunderstood Shan Shan's relationship with "Big Boss" (Da Lao Ban) Feng Teng. Feng Teng learned about Shan Shan's personality and grown to like her, but the naive Shan Shan knows nothing about love and mistaken Feng Teng's treatment towards her as a form of bully. Shan Shan naively thinks that Feng Teng is feeding her in order to get the rare blood from her. Their love story begins before Shan Shan knows it.
First of all, the drama is not dubbed! which is rare and a smart move from the director. The well-known director for the drama Bull Fighting and P.S. Man is directing this drama! It's no wonder that it has a very Taiwanese rom-com feel to it. I love the fact that I can hear their real voice, because it displays their real emotion! it's not overly dramatic like the dubbed one.


Zhao Li Ying plays Xue Shan Shan, our main heroine, and I can't have it any other way. Shan Shan is a bubbly, cute, and completely clueless when it comes to love. Her specialties include eating, sleeping and eating and sleeping. She's not good at work, but tries her best at whatever she does. Sounds like a typical female lead who gets the guy in every drama... and she does get the guy in the end (or at least in the novel). But in this case, Shan Shan isn't annoying at all. Her character is super loveable and funny, to the point that you never think a person can have that kind of mindset. 
 Li Ying is super cute and she portrait Shan Shan perfectly, or she pinpoint exactly how I imagined Xue Shan Shan to be. I know some Chinese fans don't like Li Ying, because apparently she's a b*** in real life, but we never know and I'm fine with it as long as she's good at acting.
The analogy in this drama is that Feng Teng is a wolf and Shan Shan's a pig. The wolf wants to feed the pig until it's fatter and has more meat so it will taste better, but in the end the wolf fell in love with the pig and let it free. Yet the pig have grown attached to the wolf and doesn't want to leave.

Zhang Han plays Feng Teng, the cold CEO who doesn't care about many things other than work. He was initially intrigue by Shan Shan's optimism and gluttonness. Once he understood her mentality, how she thinks and how naive she is, his heart eventually melts and fell in love with the cute Shan Shan. Feng Teng doesn't displayed his love easily, he plays it cool on the outside and treat Shan Shan coldly. Ex: scared her about her job, make her study for exam, force her to pick vegetables for him. However, it is obvious that he's mean to her because he cares. He's the company CEO and she's still a new employee not under the company's full time contract, yet he eats lunch with her and invite her to be his dinner date to a party. It's no wonder that everyone from the company misunderstood their relationship.

Zhang Han isn't my first choice of Feng Teng. He's pretty okay looking, but a bit too bony (skinny) and serious. His face feels like it's straight out from a makjang drama. At scenes that I imagined Feng Teng to be smirking or something, I cant see Zhang Han making such expression. I saw him in Bu Yi Yang De Mei Nan Zi, and he was corny and cute with Gui Gui, but I don't see it in Boss and Me. I love him with Zheng Shuang (they dated in real life, and Zhang Han did say that he will forever love her even when they have broken up)... but for some reason, I can totally see him with Zhao Li Ying. Maybe it's because both of them are using their real voice so it just sounds very natural or because Zhao Li Ying is so good at portraying Shan Shan and Zhang Han is very good at his Feng Teng, that's why naturally their acting just fits the novel. 
Like seriously, what kind of guy cross their leg like that.... (sorry Zhang Han's fangirls...)--- -blocking any eggs and tomatoes thrown at me by Zhang Han's fangirl-.
His Face is too bony, so it looked really sharp and harsh?







Cute Moment #1
Shan Shan who got daily lunches from Feng Yue couldn't take the gossip behind her back as everyone have been speculating what is Shan Shan's relationship with Feng Teng. She found a new location to eat, not knowing that it is on the side of Feng Teng's office. The glasses is the type that outsiders cannot see what is going on inside, so Shan Shan cannot see Feng Teng's office at all, whereas Feng Teng can see Shan Shan's every movement. Feng Teng enjoys seeing Shan Shan eating her daily lunches and so he watches her eat while eating his lunch. It's kinda creepy when you think about it, but the drama made it looked so funny and cute! ;D TRUST!


Cute Moment #2
So Qi Shuai (super handsome) , is our second main lead who wasn't emphasized in the novel (i forgot if he even existed in the novel)who Shan Shan has a crush on. He saw Feng Teng's invitation to Shan Shan for Feng Yue son's 1 month Birthday party (that was a mouthful) and initiated to give it to Shan Shan. At first Shan Shan was super happy that Qi Shuai wanted to talk to her, until she realized that it was for Feng Yue's child, and didn't want to go. But then Qi Shuai told her that he wanted her to be his partner for the night, and he will go pick her up at 6PM.
I thought it was super cute that Shan Shan has a crush on Qi Shuai. He is like our cute second lead, and he is also very likeable.



Cute Moment #3
When Qi Shuai picked up Shan Shan, our main Feng Teng prevented them from having alone time together by making Qi Shuai meet up with him beforehand. Shan Shan was shocked when she saw Feng Teng sitting in the back of the car. Qi Shuai noticed how Feng Teng acts when it comes to Shan Shan and purposely did things to provoke Feng Teng. First he invited her to the party, then he told her to hook arm with him. HAHAHA. This guy doesn't know who he's messing with. I thought Feng Teng's expression was hilarious when Qi Shuai made a peace sign.


Cute Moment #4
Well, the competition didn't stop after Qi Shuai abandoned Shan Shan for other girls. Feng Teng made Shan Shan his new partner and purposely give her food to eat and make her drink his alcohol. Feng Teng is a CEO, but you realized how childish he is, just by seeing the way he competed with Qi Shuai. Qi Shuai texted Feng Teng after seeing how he treated Shan Shan but our main lead purposely ignored Qi Shuai and did it even more. It's kinda like when you were little and someone tell you not to eat the cookies in the jar but that makes you want to eat it even more. HAHAHA.
It's funny when you can definitely tell that Shan Shan was getting drunk. 






Cute Moment #5
Just when Shan Shan thought she escaped receiving daily lunches from our "Da Lao Ban," she got a noticed to come to his office. I thought it was cute that his secretary, Ah Mei, is a strong supporter of TengShan couple. She dragged Shan Shan into in Feng Teng's office. Shan Shan took a good look at Feng Teng's working and was mesmerized by his beauty. She was staring--- yes, girl it's not obvious that you're changing angles while staring at him at all--. She said that she didn't realized that he was that handsome. He also realized how nice his voice is when he called her name.
 that's a good start right? :) She is attracted to his looks.








Cute Moment #6
This one made he laughed so much. So Shan Shan came up with plan that if she fake having a cold, then she wouldn't have to eat lunch with Big Boss anymore, using the excuse that she can get him sick if she eats with him. She assumes that during the time she's sick, he will find another person to pick vegetables for him and he will eventually forget about her existence, since she is a small employee afterall. While she fake being sick, she made noodles for herself and went to her usual lunch location next to Feng Teng's office. She then was so pleased with her "smart plan" and enjoyed her ramen. She did her usual dance, not knowing that Feng Teng found out her entire plan and even danced along with her. THIS WAS CUTEE!!!


Overall: 4.5/5
First five episodes really exceeded my expectations. I mean, the storyline is good already so it was up to the actors to make the novel comes to life. The drama followed the novel quite closely, except Qi Shuai and how big his character is, not like it's bad or anything, since I really like Qi Shuai. I think my favorite moment is definitely when Qi Shuai and Feng Teng childishly compete with each other for Shan Shan at the Birthday Party. :)

Will definitely update more cute moments from ep 6-10 soon. But the episodes come out way too fast. It's 3 episodes per day so I don't even have time to screencap and write. Will be a bit late but definitely will do it.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Asian Drama Challenge Day 5

at 2:27 PM 0 comments
Day 5: What is your all time favorite drama?
It's depressing because the drama I'm mentioning is not even a category available in the challenge. It's a Mainland Chinese drama that I dearly Love.
Bu Bu Jing Xin or Startling at Each Steps




It's an amazing piece of work derived from a novel by Tonghua, who is also famous as the author for the upcoming chinese drama Da Mo Yao and Yun Zhong Ge.(which are done filming, and waiting for SAFT to approve/air). Idk how to feel about Da Mo Yao. It is easily one of my top favorite novel by Tong Hua because I'm a sucker for happy ending  and I love Hu Quo Bing as a character. Unlike Ling Gege who was too sacrificing, Meng Jue with a cunning character and heavy responsibility and Si Ye's vengeance and carefulness. Hu Guo Bing was clever but not cunning. He carried heavy responsibility but was willing to let everything go to be with his beloved Jin Yu! Not that the other male leads are not amazing. hahaha

Angelababy in Yun Zhong Ge. For some weird reason, I think she looked so much prettier as an ancient character rather than her modern drama roles.


SIDE TRACK
Maybe my all time favorite will change and DA MO YAO will become my all time favorite once it's air... if it's going to air... but for now, BU BU JING XIN is it!

Tong Hua has this ability to make readers immersed themselves into the world she created. Make them feel every feelings by her characters as if it's their own. The more you read it, the more painful and harder it is continue on because the journey becomes too sad.


My Favorite line in the drama is
"We were destined to meet, destined to fall in love, but not destined to be together."
This completely describes the entire drama. I'm sure many Bu Bu Jing Xin lovers out there can't get enough of this drama, because it is just that good. It's like a magician hat. Right when you think you reach the bottom and there's nothing you can get out of it, more things keeps on pouring out and constantly surprised you. THE ANGST GAME IS SOOO STRONG!!! :(
  


Best part of this drama.. you have every elements in a typical drama compacted into one.  that makes you feel every existing emotions.
It has the fated true love, time traveling, soulmate best friend, childhood crush, palace scheming, fighting for imperial throne, vengeance. the force kiss, wrist grab, piggy back ride. YOU NAME IT!

I honestly dont know what else to say to praised this masterpiece. This drama doesn't even need promotion because it is just that good. I watched it three years ago but it is still by far my favorite drama that made me cry EVERY SINGLE time I rewatch it (which is like 100times+) 

The plot is complicated. Not to the point of confusion like Inception, but like the Title of the drama, every step have to be carefully taken and every emotions have to be hidden for our leads to survive. IT's SUPER GOOD! :D



The Imperial Doctress Trailer!

at 1:08 PM 0 comments
Idk about anyone else, but I'm super excited about the new drama by Liu Shi Shi and Wallace Huo titled The Imperial Doctress. The news confirmed around 2 months ago, but they finally dropped the trailer today!

It's unfortunate that some news from weibo have been saying that Shi Shi and Wallace character won't be the main OTP. That just makes me sad because I watched Strange Heroes Yi Zhi Mei a while back but was disappointed by Tangren's amount of effort of incorporating romance into the drama. I literally got 2 episodes of romance and the rest was all vengeance and solving crimes.



This brings me back to the most recent collab by Wallace Huo and Liu ShiShi in The Incisive Great Teacher. Wallace played the gentleman and perfect boyfriend-material Li Da Ren, who fell in love with the pure hearted Liu Shi Shi playing Lu Yun Fei!
 Yet it was another incident of "have affinity but no fate" as a couple.

I thought the whole thing was quite hilarious since Wallace's character's nickname is "Si Ye" which is Nicky Wu's nickname in the famous heartbreaking drama Bu Bu Jing Xin. The entire existence of Wallace character was to parody Bu Bu Jing Xin's relationship between Si Ye and Ruo Xi. It was quite cute actually.T o be honest, visual wise, Wallace is much more suitable for Shi Shi, since they're both so good looking. But I gotta love LONGSHI! they're super cute in every single interview videos! This parody gave me a chance to get the best of both world. MEHEHEHE!


gif credit: Linggluu@tumblr
All three version! Bu Bu Jing Xin VS Bu Bu Jing Qing VS Incisive Great Teacher.
Parody of the infamous "I'll cover you from the rain with a thin piece of cloth" but in this case, it's with snow instead of rain. LOL




Without further rambling!
here's an awesome trailer of this new drama


 

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